Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left
A sensibly dressed tourist
Centre
Tourist brochure
Right
Tourist office
Planning Your Trip
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Passports & visas
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What to take
Nov 2011). During this
time, the city stays shut
for two days, so travelling
is very difficult. In the
holy month of Ramadan
(begins 10 Aug in 2010,
1 Aug 2011) many
Muslims fast during the
day; due to this, most
restaurants and eateries
are closed until sundown.
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Tourist office
Citizens of the EU,
Switzerland, the United
States, Canada, Australia
and New Zealand need a
valid passport to visit
Morocco, but no visa. To
be able to stay for three
months, your passport
should be valid for at
least six months after
your date of arrival. If
your time exceeds the
three months, then you
must get an extension
from the central police
station
(see p108)
.
@
Insurance
Take good, solid
footwear as the alleys of
the medina are often
uneven. Clothes should
be light but not revealing.
Take something warm for
winter evenings. Carry
any necessary medication
as your own particular
brands may not be
available. Everything else
is easily obtainable in
Marrakech at the
hypermarket Marjane,
located on the Route de
Casablanca just north of
the New City.
The Office National
Marocain du Tourisme
(OMNT) is a bit incon-
venient to reach, located
as it is in Place Abdel
Moumen Ben Ali in the
New City, a taxi ride
away from the medina.
Moreover, the staff is not
particularly well-informed,
so don't visit unless
necessary. You will find
that the staff at your
hotel or riad will be of
more help.
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How long to stay
All visitors should
take out an insurance
policy before travelling to
Marrakech. There are no
reciprocal health agree-
ments between Morocco
and the EU countries,
and if you fall ill you will
have to pay the doctor's
bills. Theft is rare, but it
cannot be ruled out.
Marrakech is not
exactly a large city and
as such, possesses
proportionately few
crowd-pulling sights
and monuments. Most
visitors pass their time
sunning themselves on
rooftop terraces with
frequent forays into the
souks. Unless daytrips
south to the mountains
or to the coastal region
of Essaouira are on your
agenda, three or four
days is long enough.
(
Disabled visitors
Wheelchair users will
find Marrakech a tricky
place to navigate, espe-
cially in the medina
where the crowded roads
tend to be narrow and in
poor condition. Beyond
the large hotels and the
railway station, very few
buildings are disabled-
friendly, though the
better riads will do their
best to accommodate.
)
Language
£
When to go
Marrakech is warm all
year round, although
January and February see
rainfall, with the
temperatures dropping
during the nights. The
summer heat is at its
most oppressive and
fierce in July and August.
The best times to visit
are March to June and
September to December.
The peak tourist season
is Easter and Christmas/
New Year, so be sure to
make reservations well
ahead in order to secure
a room if you plan to visit
during these periods.
^
Electricity
The electric current is
220V/50Hz. Moroccan
sockets take European-
style two-pin plugs, so
bring an adaptor.
&
Islamic holidays
The main Islamic
holidays follow the lunar
calendar. They are Eid El
Fitr (8 Sep in 2010, 31
Aug in 2011) and Eid El
Adha (16 Nov in 2010, 6
French and Arabic are
the main languages and
the signboards are also
bilingual. English is spo-
ken by those in the
tourism industry.
103
Local celebrations: Manifesto of Independence Day (11 Jan), Feast
of the Throne (30 Jul), King Mohammed VI's Birthday (21 Aug).
